


Listen To Me Say These Words (I Love You In A Hundred Different Ways)

by ryekamasaki



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-19 18:25:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 7,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8220601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryekamasaki/pseuds/ryekamasaki
Summary: This is a series of ficlets set in ezzydean and I's Crown   Cawfee AU , which is basically a coffee shop AU with numerous and various rare pairs and poly ships galore.





	1. Number 56

Sometimes Tooru wondered what he got himself into. Being charismatic and gorgeous helped him make all sorts of friends, and having all sorts of friends meant he had many people who could help him if he needed it. The flip side of that was that a lot of people had him as a friend, and that meant a lot of people asking for his help as well. Typically he didn’t mind, as long as it didn’t conflict with his responsibilities at the cafe, but right now he was regretting going along with what he was asked.

He didn’t think that helping would make him almost late for the meeting that Suga swore he’d regret if he missed, but here he is running down the street toward the hotel, wondering if the makeup on his face was being disturbed by the emerging sweat. He really, really hoped it was staying in place like Yoshikawa had said it would, because he doesn’t have any time to clean it off, and exactly zero experience with fixing it. He also hoped he didn’t look as stupid as he felt.

He knew that his outfit was on point, perfect for this ‘meeting’ (honestly more of a party than anything, really) for the different cafes and eateries and potential vendors in the area. Suga would absolutely have his head if he made a terrible impression for Crown Cawfee, since they could really use this opportunity to promote without any additional costs to their budget. The others would be there too, and Tooru really hoped that none of them would tease him.

Half a block away he slowed down to a casual walk, straightening his collar and tossing his hair a little bit to settle it in place again. He checked his reflection briefly in the mirrored surface of the hotel doorway, and everything looked to be in place. His pastel teal shirt fit him perfectly, and the black tie had a fancy knot he couldn’t replicate on his own. His face was good too, and Yoshikawa was completely right when he said that the makeup wouldn’t budge. Tooru still wished he had time to wash his face, but stepping through the doorway brought him only feet away from where Suga, Asahi, and Noya were waiting for him.

Suga nodded a hello and turned to lead them all into the grand ballroom the ‘meeting’ was being held in. Asahi looked around at the room nervously as he followed Suga, and Noya gave him a reassuring pat on the arm before falling into step with Tooru. He stared up at him and Tooru prayed that the makeup was unnoticeable, even though he knew it wasn’t. He knew it was supposed to just gently give his features a little more oomph, so that the pictures would come out well and need little editing.

“It really brings out your eyes, you know.” Noya’s normally loud voice was hardly audible over the other chattering going on in the vicinity, and Tooru almost wasn’t sure he heard properly.

They slowed to a stop and Tooru blinked at Noya before he opened his mouth to speak. “Kiyo-chan said it’s supposed to.”

Noya’s grin was blinding. “He was right. You look wonderful.” Then Noya was gone, flitted off to go drag Asahi across the room to go look at a display.

As he caught up to where Suga was making small talk with what looked to be a coffee vendor, he could feel the smile take over his face and hoped the makeup was covering the new dusting of red on his cheeks.


	2. Number 57

Asahi was tired. It was one of those days when nothing really goes wrong, but nothing really goes right, either. He was exceedingly grateful when he got to lock the front door and plop into the comfiest armchair in the shop, the big extra plush one half hidden in the corner. He sat back and closed his eyes, curled his legs up on the seat and focused on just relaxing for at least a few minutes. The possibility of falling asleep was highly likely, at least until a quiet scuffling alerted him to someone else’s presence.

Oikawa was standing there just in front of him, looking ten times more tired than Asahi and looking a bit forlornly at the chair he was settled in. It takes Asahi’s sluggish brain much longer than it usually needs to realize that this is Oikawa’s favorite chair, and Asahi was in the way. They both moved at the same time, Asahi trying to get up so Oikawa could sit, and Oikawa taking a step back before stopping. Then Oikawa moved forward, one gentle hand on Asahi’s chest, stopping him from fully straightening up.

“You can take it instead.” Asahi keeps his voice low, knowing how prone to headaches Oikawa can be when tired.

A shake of the head, and then Oikawa’s voice rumbling over his skin. “No. There’s enough room for us both.”

He gently pushes Asahi back to sitting, and then very carefully climbs into his lap, settling with his head rested against Asahi’s shoulder, hand still on Asahi’s chest, grasping his shirt in his fingers. Asahi lays one arm across Oikawa’s lap, hooks his hand around his hip to keep them snug together, and uses his other hand to card through the hair at the top of Oikawa’s neck. Within only a few minutes Oikawa’s breathing is even and quiet, lulled to sleep by the stroking and the muted humming that Asahi knows Oikawa can feel rumbling through his chest.

Oikawa sighs in his sleep, nuzzles his face against Asahi’s neck, and it doesn’t take long for Oikawa’s sleepiness to leech into Asahi as well, leaving them both tucked snugly into the chair, no longer aware of the rest of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	3. Number 37

Daichi’s not entirely sure how Suga convinced them all to agree to this. It was one thing to go to a costume party, and an entirely different one to do so dressed as a princess. If it weren’t a Crown Cawfee exclusive party, Daichi wouldn’t step foot out of his apartment like this. But it  _ was _ an exclusive party, and Suga would probably find some way to torture him if he backed out now, anyway. At least this half of them were all princesses and it wasn’t just him. He didn’t know who the rest were dressing up as, only that everyone was sticking to the theme of ‘Disney’. Suga strutted around the house, swinging his long blonde wig and cast iron skillet around like weapons, singing loudly about having a dream.

As they walked to the shop Asahi was very careful to keep his dress from dragging the ground. He took up most of the sidewalk with his skirt alone, the huge gold fabric rustling as he walked, hair fluttering in the breeze in the deliberately loose half bun style. Tanaka’s grand gestures nearly knocked the top half of his costume awry more than once, and when they finally got the the door of the cafe Daichi had to hold up the long red wig so Suga could adjust the clasp of the purple clamshell bra to keep it up.

Luckily his own outfit didn’t involve a skirt, though the sheer shimmery teal fabric that he wore didn’t really do much better at covering anything, especially since the top was little more than a crop top. He refused to wear any wig, since it was the costume that was the important part anyway, and Suga knew how far he could push his luck. Daichi held the door open so the others could walk in before him, and adjusted the headband on his head as he walked in.

The first thing Daichi saw as he walked in was Kuroo, dressed in a brown and green ensemble that didn’t look terrible on him, with an incredibly stupid look on his face, some sort of ridiculous smile directed at where Suga was trying to hide his giggles behind his frying pan. Tanaka was already stretched across a couch, his shimmering green ‘tail’ draped delicately across the seats. Noya was on one knee in front of him, white shirt billowing as he moved his arms, hair gelled for once in a respectable style.

Asahi was in the middle of the shop, dead center in the middle of the floor, swept up into a fancy dance at the hands of Saeko, dressed impeccably in a blue tailcoat, heeled boots make her a bit taller than normal to give her the proper princely air as she turned Asahi dramatically. Someone in a green tunic and pointed green hat with a red feather was taking pictures, walking around Asahi and Saeko carefully to get the best shots. Daichi wasn’t surprised at the cheeky look on his face, so similar to Suga’s when he got into a good mood. Yoshikawa flitted easily around the room, taking shots of the various ‘couples’.

It was just dawning on Daichi what kind of mess Suga had gotten him into when a door at the back of the shop clicked closed and Oikawa strode confidently out into the main room, tan cape swishing behind himself as he walked over to Daichi. The outfit looked really good on him, even the turban, and Daichi found himself putting his hand in Oikawa’s automatically as he held it out. Oikawa’s eyes twinkled, and he used their clasped hands to pull Daichi in close.

“You look gorgeous, princess.” Daichi would have felt stupid if it weren’t for the completely serious way that Oikawa spoke, coupled with the honest fondness lit in his eyes. With his hands framing Daichi’s face, Oikawa’s eyes glimmering just a bare few inches away, his breath ghosting over Daichi’s lips, Oikawa opened his mouth to speak. “Can I kiss you?”

Daichi could feel his eyes widen a fraction, but a tiny nod had Oikawa leaning in, brushing a sigh over his lips as Daichi let his eyes slide shut, before capturing him in a kiss that made the rest of the room disappear completely. In the back of his mind he thought he could hear a faint cheer, and a spare wisp of brainpower pointed out that it was likely that this moment would be captured on film forever, but Daichi mostly lost himself in Oikawa’s kiss, wondering when his own life took to resembling a fairy tale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	4. Number 13

Suga cursed as he tripped off the train, the very  _ late _ train that he was stuck on past his stop because all the packed in passengers refused to budge when he tried to push his way to the door. Now he had to walk at least 5 blocks back again to get to the cafe, and just Suga’s luck, it was suddenly pouring out. It was sunny when he’d gotten up this morning, and the weather forecast didn’t say anything about rain so he was umbrella-less and only in a light jacket.

It really wasn’t the beginning of the bad day that bothered him, but the fact that Oikawa’d had something important to do today, and so Suga was the only one to open the shop and he knew that Asahi would already be there. Suga was rarely late, usually there a good ten to fifteen minutes before anyone else, so it was incredibly likely that Asahi was just standing there waiting for him in the rain, and he was probably worried out of his skull about what could be keeping Suga.

There was only a few blocks left, and Suga was getting a little more confident that he’d only be a couple of minutes late, hardly anything really, when he heard a wailing off of the sidewalk. He briefly considered ignoring it and hurrying on, but he’d never forgive himself if someone was in trouble and he didn’t help. There was a small boy in a bright red raincoat standing next to a thorny little bush, and he was alone and crying very loudly. Suga approached carefully so as not to startle him, though it would have been hard between the volume of the rain and the child’s cries.

After a grueling ten minutes of sniffling and stuttering, Suga found himself on the ground, ducking under the edges of the bush to try to coax out the frightened cat that the child had gotten lost looking for. It wasn’t easy, since Suga didn’t have any food to offer it and the only thoughts in his mind were focused on how wet Asahi must be just waiting for him. He knew he was wasting a lot of prep time out here, but he couldn’t leave a child lost in the rain, and the only way this kid was going to go to the police was with the cat in tow.

He gets a flood of relief when the cat finally allows him to pull it gently from under the thorny branches, and then there’s an excited yell a few feet away. The child takes the cat into his arms and the new arrival, a girl some years older than the boy, thanks Suga for helping her little brother and waves as they jog off. Suga sighs, looks at the mud on his pants, at the drenched sleeves of his jacket and continues on his way, grateful that he at least has a spare outfit at the shop.

Asahi is just barely covered by the miniscule overhang above the doorway of the cafe, and Suga sees him check his phone at least three times as he shuffles down the street, slowed by the thick wet material of his jeans. The look of relief on Asahi’s face as he spots Suga makes him feel even more guilty, and Asahi practically flutters around him even after Suga gets the cafe open and lit up. He only disappears for a minute, and when he returns he flicks on the hot water machine and gently drops a towel over Suga’s head.

Suga peeks out from under the fabric, and his voice is shaky with cold when he speaks. “Sorry I’m late.”

The glare Asahi aims at him is amusing since it’s more exasperation and fondness than anger. “It’s fine. Go get dry and change before you catch your death.”

Suga can’t help the laugh at Asahi’s mother hen tone, but he listens and heads the the office. The prep work goes even quicker than usual even though Suga feels sluggish, but he enjoys the attention Asahi gives him as he explains why he wound up so late. Halfway through the story Asahi pushes him into a chair, a cup of perfectly hot tea clasped in his hands to warm him up, and Suga’s hit with a gratefulness that he can’t express.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	5. Number 24

Yuu groaned a bit and laid the side of his face against the chilly countertop, watching the people pass by the window. Being the morning there weren’t that many people out and about, but he did see a few of the employees of  _ Lick Me Tail Ice Scream _ wander towards the shop. Yaku even stopped in briefly to get an iced coffee, and Yuu tried not to pay too much attention to the vague throbbing in his face as he made it. After Yaku left there was a steady stream of customers, so it was easier to focus on work instead.

Suga kept throwing him pitying little looks, and Yuu tried to ignore it, but there was only so much of the silent concern that he could take. Luckily he made it to the end of his shift, and with what he knew was an unusually quiet farewell made his way back home. He looked longingly in the direction of the ice cream shop, but he knew it would only make it worse, so he turned and trudged on to his little apartment. After a brief call to a dentist for an emergency appointment and a half eaten sandwich, he buried himself in the blankets on his bed and fell asleep.

It was a good thing he had the day off, because it turned out that his wisdom tooth needed to be pulled out. The good part was that after they numbed him he didn’t feel anything at all, and after it was out the pain that had plagued him for the better part of a week was immediately gone. The bad part was that he’d bleed for a few hours, and then he still had to avoid strong hot and cold things (and rice, of course)  until the hole closed up a bit more. Back in his apartment afterward he changed out his gauze and then took a much needed nap.

The next day he woke refreshed, ready to face the day and the world, and hopefully work on getting Suga to knock it off with the telepathic ‘are you okay?’s. He really does feel better already, and when he arrives at the cafe and Suga practically pounces on him, he tells him as much. Suga scrutinizes him until Oikawa wanders behind the counter and says something suggestive that has Suga pushing Oikawa back in the direction of the office while they both laugh. Yuu takes up his previous perch on the counter, watching people wander past the cafe again.

The next few days pass uneventfully, and Yuu is fully ready to get back to his regular treats. Suga stops with the overwhelming concern when he realizes that Yuu did get his issue all taken care of and that he truly was feeling better, and even makes him a special coffee to celebrate. Yuu’s almost asleep at the end of his shift one day, face pillowed on the counter yet again (even though Suga tells him it’s unprofessional) when someone enters the shop.

Yuu has hardly had a chance to lift his head off the counter when a dainty little bowl is placed in front of it, and he looks up curiously. Ushijima, who Yuu watches pass by the cafe to get to his job at the ice cream place almost every day, stands there, and the bowl he placed in front of Yuu is his very favorite sundae. He doesn’t get it every time, he rather enjoys switching up flavors and toppings and sauces at his whim, but if he had to choose only one kind, this would be it.

Yuu looks up at Ushijima’s stoic face. “Why?”

Ushijima tilts his head, like he’s been asked why plants grow green and is thinking how best to explain chlorophyll, and then responds easily. “Just because.”

Yuu gets a firm pat on the arm, and then Ushijima is walking out the door, back in the direction of his own workplace, and Yuu smiles to himself. Oikawa sometimes complains about Ushijima, but Yuu knows that the heart under that stoic face is warm and caring. He digs into the sundae with vigor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	6. Number 86

Tetsurou was used to being told that he wasn’t really needed around. Yaku frequently had everything under control over at  _ Lick Me Tail Ice Cream _ , so Tetsurou found himself less in his own shop and more over at  _ Crown Cawfee _ instead. He helped out there too, doing paperwork with an efficiency that surprised Suga at times, especially when Tetsurou acted like a little shit the whole time he was around. It made him proud to hand Suga a pile of completed forms when Suga thought he’d just been messing with him for an hour.

But the last few days have seemed like no one has needed him at all. Even Larry, the one eyed three legged mascot cat at  _ Tail _ has snubbed him, turning and walking away, off to her tiny hammock in the corner to nap instead of letting Tetsurou pet her. Yaku shooed him away again saying all their paperwork was completed, including the order forms that usually weren’t done till the afternoon. Suga and Oikawa were ahead on their paperwork, too, apparently, since they hired yet another worker, the short but feisty Nishinoya, and now had more time for managerial work since they didn’t have to constantly man the front counter.

Unloading supplies at his own shop was unnecessary with Ushijima present, and the cafe had Asahi to handle the heavy work. There really wasn’t much that Tetsurou could do, except entertain the usual customers, but even they seemed to have no time for Tetsurou. Most of them got their coffees and treats to go, and the ones that did hang around, like Daichi and Iwaizumi, seemed to be busy with their own matters. Even Oikawa didn’t pull him into the office for any illicit activities, just busy enough with cafe work to not need Tetsurou either way.

A week or so like this had Tetsurou perched quietly on one on the cafe’s couches, not needed but unwilling to mope around in his own house where he knew he’d be in an even worse mood than he was. At least here he had to have some semblance of put togetherness, something no one would really notice the difference of from his usual demeanor. Someone would definitely notice if he wasn’t there at all, so he took up residence on a couch, a cup of coffee cooling untouched on the side table.

It wasn’t until someone tugged on his sleeve that he even noticed that someone had sat down next to him on the couch. He looked over to find Daichi there, clad as usual in a sleeveless shirt and running shorts, a look of concern on his face. Tetsurou tried pasting a grin on his face like his usual one, but he could tell by the roll of Daichi’s eyes that he hadn’t quite succeeded. Daichi tugged his sleeve a little harder, and Tetsurou followed that motion to flop over, head pillowed on Daichi’s thighs.

He closes his eyes and listens to the sigh Daichi lets out, and then there’s a gentle hand passing through Tetsurou’s hair before Daichi speaks up. “Look. They seem like they have it all handled but they do appreciate everything you do. You’re important to this shop too. Somehow. Despite not working here or owning it and barely ever buying anything.”

Daichi’s words are firm, but his hand is soft, and Tetsurou can feel his heart flutter at the obvious care that Daichi is showing to him. It does a lot to make him feel better, that someone had noticed he was down and made an attempt to fix it. He feels a weight lift from himself, and he grins a bit and then pats Daichi’s thigh. “It's always good to know these thighs are here to support me.”

The next thing he knows he’s lying face up on the floor in front of the couch, and Daichi is grumbling good naturedly at him. “Support yourself, you alley cat.”

Tetsurou grins at the tiny blush on Daichi’s face and attempts to make it bigger. “You know, the view from down here is even better.” Then he scampers away before Daichi can get a chance to kick at him. Behind the counter, he looks out to see Daichi grinning and shaking his head fondly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	7. Number 62

Hajime can tell right away that there’s something off about Daichi. He seems sluggish, though it’s no earlier in the morning than they usually get together for work, and at first Hajime thinks maybe he just had a night of bad sleep. They jog to their studio in the mornings, stretching and warming up their muscles and keeping in shape as is proper for personal trainers. Today they have a full day, a few classes of self defense and each of them with a number of one on ones with other clients.

Daichi gets a tea when they stop at the cafe instead of his more common coffee, but it’s not  _ too _ unusual for him to change up his order, so neither Hajime nor Asahi question it. It’s after they’ve gotten to the studio, though, when Daichi seems to alternate shivering in his hoodie and flinging it across the room that Hajime starts to get suspicious. He watches Daichi covertly as their first class comes in, and then they have to split up for their personal lessons. By lunch time Daichi is flushed and frowning, but Hajime knows that he won’t admit that he feels badly.

Luckily Hajime manages to get Daichi to at least eat a healthy lunch, claiming that he really wants soup today and Daichi doesn’t put in the effort to argue with him. The soup is good, and Daichi doesn’t really look worse after they’re done, so Hajime counts that as a win. The few appointments they have in the afternoon aren’t too bad, but Hajime can still tell that Daichi is struggling to hide that he doesn’t feel well.

It’s after the last client has left that Hajime looks over and sees that Daichi has started their usual weekly deep clean of the studio and he finally puts his foot down. “Daichi. Leave it for tomorrow.” Daichi looks up at him blearily, blinks questioningly, like he doesn’t have a clue what Hajime’s talking about. “We can clean tomorrow. Go home and get some rest.”

Daichi sighs, and his voice is scratchy already when he speaks. “Okay, Hajime.”

He looks relieved, and his shoulders slump as he lets the tension out of himself, knowing that he’s been caught. Hajime drapes Daichi’s hoodie across his shoulders and turns out the lights, and they walk together until they have to part ways to get to their respective apartments. 

Hajime squeezes Daichi’s shoulder. “Feel better, Dai.” Daichi smiles and then he watches Daichi walk off before turning and walking home himself. He takes a moment to send a text off to Suga to tell him that Daichi likely needs some care, and then, at home, makes sure to get plenty of rest himself so he doesn’t get sick as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	8. Number 15

Asahi loves the holiday season, not quite as much as either Suga or Oikawa, but enough that the twinkling lights and extra marshmallows and special peppermint coffee bring him joy more than any other feeling. He also knows that there are people who dislike the season as much as he loves it, and while he wishes he could make those people change their minds, he knows that that’s just how some people are, and it doesn’t make them any worse as a person.

One of Oikawa’s favorite regulars, despite the oft proclaimed hatred of the season, is Yahaba, who refuses any sort of holiday or seasonal cheer in his hot beverages, including but not limited to: peppermint, candy canes, marshmallows and whipped cream. Tonight he shuffles in distractedly, hardly even looking up to roll his eyes at the new decorations that Oikawa and Suga had hung up earlier in the day.

There’s a few people still waiting for their drinks, and Asahi is the only one in the shop for the moment, Suga out back taking out the garbage and Oikawa locked away in his office doing paperwork (if ‘paperwork’ means ‘kuroo’). It’s not that big of a deal, and Asahi hardly ever gets nervous anymore even when there’s a line. He knows he can handle it fine on his own, and their customers are usually fairly easy going anyway.

Yahaba waits patiently at the counter, staring down at its surface blankly. His phone makes a loud noise, and he jumps a little before pulling it out and scowling at it. Asahi watches as he jabs at it and then shoves it back in his pocket, his usually calm face angry. Normally with the other customers taken care of, Asahi would go about getting Yahaba’s order and then making small talk, inquiring about his day, but today Asahi just makes up a drink before walking to the counter.

He places the cup gently in front of Yahaba and smiles when he looks up. “I made your favorite.”

Yahaba looks confused, like he’s not sure why someone would bother to remember that kind of thing about him, especially since he doesn’t get the same drink every time. Asahi knows, though, is good at being able to tell when he’s made exactly the right drink for someone’s mood, and this time is no different. Yahaba takes a tentative sip and the residue of anger still in his face melts away.

As he pays he smiles gratefully at Asahi, even through the trill of his phone going off again. “Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


	9. Number 32

Tooru is absolutely at ends with himself. Suga had stayed at home sick, some sort of stomach bug that he assured Tooru he could handle while Tooru took care of the cafe for the day. Kuroo is off at some important meeting for his own shop, and Asahi and Noya had specifically requested the day off together for some thing that they had to do that neither of them would elaborate on. He wasn’t really used to having to run the entire shop by himself, especially on a day like today, where it seemed like everyone and their mother was stopping in for a drink.

Between his worry for Suga and his distraction every time the bell above the door rings, he just barely manages to get through the first group of early customers without scalding himself on hot coffee, or worse. He gets a few minutes after that, and as he wipes down the counter he tries to figure out what to do. Closing the shop for the day is seeming like the best option, though Suga would probably be disappointed, especially with Tooru home to flutter nervously over him instead of letting him rest on his own.

He’s just walking over to lock the door when salvation enters in the form of glorious muscles and bright eyes, already awake and ready to face the day. Daichi pauses and tilts his head, looking for all the world like a curious puppy, obviously finding Tooru in the middle of the otherwise empty shop to be a strange occurrence. “Something wrong, Tooru?”

And it’s really not like him to break so easily, but something about Daichi has him spilling his worries with just that simple question. “Yes. Suga is sick at home and the others are away, and I’ve nearly spilled hot frothed milk on myself three times and we’ve only been open for half an hour and I don’t think I can handle the shop busier than that alone, so I think I’m going to close and let Suga yell later.”

He doesn’t mean to get it all out in a ramble, but Daichi doesn’t seem to mind. Instead he smiles and nods, and then he’s guiding Tooru back behind the counter before stepping away again. “Okay. How about you make me something to drink, carefully, and I’ll stick around and help you out as best I can? I can’t make the fancy drinks, but even someone to run the register should help, right? And I’ll have Hajime go check on Suga, too.”

Tooru’s shoulders slump in relief, all his worries solved as quick as anything, like they weren’t even problems in the first place. “Thank you.”

Daichi just grins and slips into the kitchen, coming back with one of the shop’s full aprons on, slipping his phone back into his pocket as he walks. He sneaks a pastry out of the case, and Tooru hands him a perfectly made coffee to go with it, which he just manages to finish before the next customer shows up. They make it through the day perfectly well, and Tooru finds himself at multiple times throughout being grateful that Daichi’s spent enough time in the shop to know what to do.

It’s Daichi who locks the door at closing time, while Tooru leans heavily against the counter, watching as Daichi walks back over with a soft smile on his face. And apparently Tooru’s brain to mouth filter has decided to close up for the day too, because Tooru finds himself speaking his thoughts before he realizes that he’s doing it. “It looks good on you.”

When they’re toe to toe Daichi stops and looks up at him, still with that smile on his face that makes Tooru’s heart flutter in his chest, pleased to be on the receiving end of. “Yeah? It looks good on you too, you know.”

And then Daichi’s darted in and away again, and it takes Tooru an embarrassingly long time to realize that Daichi’d dropped a kiss on his nose and ran away before Tooru’s brain had a chance to come back online to even think of retaliating in time. He can’t help the stupid smile he gets, and he lingers at the counter for a few more minutes, pretending to wipe it down again, to give his face a chance to go back to its normal color.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://ryekamasaki.tumblr.com/).


	10. Number 12

It’s just her luck, honestly, that even though she’d checked the weather before she left she now has to make her way through a sudden downpour, her only protection a flimsy jacket. It’s barely enough to keep her clothes dry, and she breathes a sigh of relief when the warm lights of the cafe come into view. On nicer days she makes a point to stop in on her way to work to sit with a drink and to get a homemade pastry for her break, and everyone there seems so happy to see her that she can’t help but love it.

Right now, though, the shop is almost empty, and she stands dripping near the front door for a moment to get her bearings after dashing through the rain. Oikawa had straightened up from his slump over the counter when the bell above the door had rang, and when he catches sight of Hitoka he rushes around to get to her, grabbing a towel from the door of the back room as he goes. Almost faster than she realizes, her jacket is draped over a chair, and Oikawa is gently patting the towel against her wet hair while ushering her to one of the comfy armchairs closest to the heater.

He scoots away to make her a drink while she waits, and she watches him bustle around behind the counter for a few minutes before a steaming cup of hot cocoa is pushed into her cold hands. By the time she’s finished she’s mostly dry again, and the rain has tapered off to less than a drizzle. Unfortunately her jacket still drips into the floor, and she wrinkles her nose at the thought of putting it back on. Something warm is draped over her shoulders then, accompanied by a honey sweet voice.

“Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.” Oikawa grimaces as he glances out the window. “Plus yours is far too wet. Come pick it up later on, okay, Hitoka-chan?”

She smiles, and tugs him down a little by the edge of his apron. “Thank you, Tooru.” Then she presses a kiss to his cheek and hugs him tight before braving the cold again to make it to the department store on time for her shift. It’s much cozier in Oikawa’s jacket, the chill barely making itself known, and she makes a mental note to do something nice in thanks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://ryekamasaki.tumblr.com/).


	11. Number 27

Koushi notices when Iwaizumi wanders slowly into the shop, shuffling carefully into one of the softer armchairs, propping his ankle on the matching ottoman with a sigh that Koushi can practically hear across the shop. He frowns to himself and scurries into the kitchen, leaving Asahi behind the counter to attend to the couple of customers that are just waiting for their drinks to be delivered.

The kitchen is warm, the ovens still at work baking up another batch of Koushi’s best muffins, and he checks them quickly as soon as he walks in. The trays end up on the cooling rack since they’re done, and then the ovens get switched off for the day. He slips a tiny pot off the hanging rack and lets milk heat up on the stove top while he putters around the kitchen gathering ingredients. It’s not long until he has a nice steaming drink ready for one of their special extra large mugs, and he pours it carefully, leaving it on a tray. He plucks out one of the fresh blueberry muffins and puts that on the tray too, and then he has it balanced carefully in his hands as he slips back out into the front of the shop.

The other customers are gone, and Iwaizumi is still in the comfy chair, just sitting. Koushi knows it must be hard for him, wanting to do things and having to take it easy, even if he doesn’t normally tend to push himself. Iwaizumi knows better than anyone the dangers of trying to push yourself, but that doesn’t make it any easier to follow instructions of forced rest.

Koushi approaches with a musical hum, just a little noise so that Iwaizumi can hear him, intentionally making it so that he’s not sneaking up on him. It wouldn’t turn out well for either of them right now, though any other time Koushi wouldn’t care. As it is he slips carefully onto the arm of Iwaizumi’s armchair, settling the tray gently into his lap.

“Here.” He hands Iwaizumi the mug. “Try some.”

Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow at him but does as he’s told, blowing gently over the drink before taking a careful sip. “Oh.” His eyes slip closed, and his face relaxes, and Koushi lets himself smile at the immediate reaction. He gets caught like that when Iwaizumi opens his eyes again, and he can’t help the flush on his cheeks. Iwaizumi doesn’t comment on it though. “You used to make this in college. For Tooru.”

Koushi nods. “Yeah. When he was hurt, or too stressed.”

Iwaizumi takes another sip, hums as he savors the taste. “I can see why he always raved about how magical it was.”

“Not magic.” Koushi stands, tries to hide the blush from the sincere compliments. “Just love. Enjoy, Hajime. Don’t forget your muffin.”

And then Koushi hurries away, hiding back behind the counter, looking across the room at where Iwaizumi looks significantly less upset with the world. It’s nice, that he could do something to help, even if it did leave him feeling a little sensitive, like he’s given away a tiny piece of himself without quite realizing. He busies himself with straightening up and restocking, but he keeps an eye on Iwaizumi the whole time, only breaking from his tasks to refill his mug once before he leaves with the biggest smile Koushi’s seen out of him in days.

He pauses just before he slips out the door, turning to Koushi. “Thanks, Koushi.”

And then he’s gone, striding carefully down the street and out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://ryekamasaki.tumblr.com/).


	12. Number 85

Ryuu knows he’s tired when he drops down onto the large couch in the window of the cafe, but he evidently underestimates exactly how much. The drink he orders does nothing to keep him awake, though he really didn’t expect it to, but it does warm him from the inside out, which is exactly what he needs. He’s staring off blankly into space, trying to get up the energy to go somewhere he can actually fall asleep, when someone plops on the other end of the couch with a cheery greeting and a waft of cologne.

“You okay, dude?” Bokuto’s voice is uncharacteristically soft, as full of concern as his face.

Ryuu shakes his head and smiles tiredly. “Yeah, just tired. Super long day today.”

Bokuto tilts his head to the side and then pats his lap. “If you want to take a nap you can use me as a pillow.”

It’s a kind offer, and Ryuu really wants to give in without a thought, but his sister would smack him if he did without being sure it was really okay. “Ah, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

A tug on his shirt sleeve, and then Ryuu is falling to the side, toppling like a house of cards in a strong breeze. Bokuto stares down at him seriously. “It doesn’t bother me.”

And then he’s flipping open his paperback, holding it in one hand while he uses the other to scratch lightly at the back of Ryuu’s neck. It’s probably the most soothing thing in the world, and Ryuu breathes a thank you and lets his eyes slide shut. He lets the sound of the shop, the quiet customers and Suga working behind the counter, and the light scrape of Bokuto’s page turning lull him into a restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://ryekamasaki.tumblr.com/).


	13. Number 48

Asahi doesn’t particularly like running the shop by himself, but usually he can handle it well enough for the periods of time that the others need to run off to do other things. Today is not a usual day. It’s only the afternoon he has to worry about, but sometime after Suga and Oikawa jet off to a super important meeting things just seem to stop going as they generally do. It’s not even anything that’s much of a big deal, but a bunch of little things that don’t go quite right.

Just after he’s left alone a bag of coffee beans decides that he’s trying to open it with too much force, and the bag almost explodes, showering the entire behind the counter floor in wasted beans. It takes a good ten minutes to sweep it all up, and he’s not entirely sure that he’s even gotten them all. By the time he manages to scoop the mess into the garbage a few customers have arrived, and the only things they want to order are the ones that he’s run out of.

Normally their customers are fairly easygoing, but it seems like a few new ones have stumbled upon the shop, and they show annoyance at having to wait for the coffee machine to brew. Asahi does his best to pacify them, but he’s pretty sure, by the time they leave, that they’ve already decided they won’t be returning. Iwaizumi, who’s always a fairly chill customer, comes in at some point and takes up his favorite chair, and he distracts Asahi from stressing with friendly chit chat while he waits for his order before retiring to the chair with a grin.

The last hour goes by fairly uneventfully, though Asahi has a bit more work than normal to do to close up alone, at least until the ten minutes. That’s when the sky cracks open with thunder, unleashing buckets of rain upon the world, and no less than four people find themselves close enough to duck into the cafe for safety, dragging with them the floods of hell. Two of them are apologetic enough to purchase a pastry each, but they all find their way back out the door five minutes later, when the sky is still dark but mysteriously clear of precipitation.

He sighs as he heads to the back to grab a mop, and when he gets back he’s a little surprised to find Iwaizumi still there, now standing in the middle of the room. “I’ll do it for you.” And then Asahi is mopless, standing there watching blankly for a moment while Iwaizumi starts to clean up the new mess. Iwaizumi turns back with a grin. “Well? You gonna close up?”

“Oh! Yeah.” He inches around the puddle to click the lock closed and flip the sign over to closed. “Thank you.”

Iwaizumi hums a response and continues mopping, and Asahi smiles to himself before moving off to clean up the rest of the shop. Together, it doesn’t take much longer than usual, and when they’re done they share the last of their favorite pastry before heading their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://ryekamasaki.tumblr.com/).


	14. Number 30

When Tooru finally gets a chance to curl up in bed with his new book, he makes sure to get comfortable before he gets dragged into the new world inside the book. He hardly notices the passage of time, too deeply embroiled in all the new information, though he does notice at some point that his tea, half drunk, has gone cold. He’s much too involved to be worried about heating it up, though, and finishes it off as is while he continues to read.

He barely notices when Kuroo flops into the bed as well, pressing his back up against Tooru’s leg with a sigh. The shifting gets his notice, and he drops one hand onto Kuroo’s side, resting there until he needs to turn the page again. It’s when Suga slides into bed, pillowing his head on Tooru’s thigh, that Tooru really notices how he’s been in the same position for hours, hardly moving but for advancing the book.

Suga yawns sleepily and nuzzles his face into Tooru’s thigh. “One more chapter.”

“Then it’s time for bed.” Kuroo adds over his shoulder, stretching carefully and turning over, mirroring Suga’s position, linking their hands together while they wait for Tooru to finish. And it means a lot, that they don’t outright demand he finish, that they know he needs a little time to end the adventure for the day. They appreciate his enthusiasm in a way that no one else really has before, and he smiles softly down at them at the thought.

He finishes off the chapter, and though he knows they meant he could read another after, he stops there, slipping a small bookmark between the pages before laying it on the nightstand. Both Kuroo and Suga look up at him sleepily, tired little loving smiles pointed up at him, and he can’t keep himself from returning the looks. He shuffles down the bed, lets each of them take over a shoulder instead of a thigh, and sighs at how warm and comfortable they are.

It’s easy for him to reach one hand out to click the light off, and then it’s just them cuddled together in the dark. And even with the new worlds swirling around in his mind, his dreams are of them instead, always right here with him, letting him read for hours, understanding him and his intricacies like they’re the most natural things in the world. He wouldn’t give them up for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://ryekamasaki.tumblr.com/).

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [tumblr](http://matsukawa---issei.tumblr.com/).


End file.
